The Exorcist (and all that)

[franklinmarsh]

I see one of Rog's threads meandering into a discussion of The Exorcist so I thought I'd bring it out in the open.
Being too young to see the film on first release, I read the book and I don't think any book has scared me as much as this did. I tried to read the bugger again (in broad daylight) but when I got to the scene where Regan bends over backwards, crawls downstairs like an enormous spider and her tongue wraps around someone's ankle, I gave up. I managed to read it again and again a few years later.
In the meantime John Boorman's film of Exorcist II : The Heretic had come out, and I managed to get in to that (to cheer on Richard Burton). I enjoyed this film (which is more than I can say for a couple of Italian versions, The Devil Within Her and The Antichrist - both of which were not only frightening but pretty sick-making too)
Inevitably the original film was released on a double bill with it's sequel, and I was dragged along to it.
William Friedkin was on top of the world after The French Connection swept the oscars and could pretty much do what he liked. With the 1970s disintegration of censorship, even a film featuring a young girl urinating, masturbating with a crucifix, vomiting pea soup etc could get released. Especially as it was the first major studio big budget horror film in years. The film stayed very closely to the novel, and the state of the art special effects and attention to detail ensured a box office smash. (There was a famous still of Friedkin all wrapped up against the cold of a refrigerated set used to make sure you could see Merrin and Karras' breath when Pazuzu had reduced the temperature of Regan's room.)
Needless to say, the film had much the same effect on me as the novel, and I was greatly relieved to watch the second half of the double bill. Exorcist II became a laughing stock (included in The Golden Turkey Awards) but I've still got an affection for it.
Blatty (who had appeared briefly in The Exorcist) penned a 'true' sequel Legion, a suspenseful detective story about a serial killer with links to the events of the first film.
Having directed The Ninth Configuration (based on his novel) he also blagged the job of directing the film version of Legion (retitled (groan) Exorcist III - George C Scott playing Lt Kinderman as Lee J Cobb had died). An intriguing film I'd love to see again.
The original film was tampered with a la George Lucas and his rejigged Star Wars and rereleased as The Version You've Never Seen (some CGI, subliminal excerpts and outtakes reinstated) - and once again proved a box office success - which led to the amazing two versions of ..erm...Exorcist IV.
A script was produced detailing Father Merrin's loss of faith during the Second World War, and initial confrontation with Pazuzu in Africa shortly afterward. Hollywood veteran John Frankenheimer was to direct, but he proved too ill to insure, and died a short time later. The studio rather bravely replaced him with Paul Schrader - who produced a beautiful looking, low-key, understated film.
The studio execs were rather horrified (but not in the way they wanted) with this film. They wanted a thud and blunder, gory roller coaster ride with plenty of BOO! scares.
They asked Schrader to recut. He refused, and was taken off the project. Other hacks were asked to rejig the film. Action director Renny Harlin offered to entirely refilm the story. Seeing their investment going down the drain, the execs agreed, and the entire film was reshot with more or less the same cast, but in a much less subtle way (The obscenities, green puke and head turning were back)
The Harlin version (Exorcist IV - The Beginning) was released to the cinemas and bombed.
Schrader waited patiently in the wings, and eventually saw his version (Dominion : Prequel to the Exorcist)aired at film festivals and the like.
Worth seeing both to see just how differently the same story can be handled.
I'd go with Schrader's version - quiet horror wins out! Although both feature incredibly shite CGI hyenas, Renny had the good sense to have his appear at night.

[sean]

I have to say that I'm not that big a fan of either the film or the book of 'The Exorcist'.

Blatty's style of writing really doesn't agree with me. I find him to be too plodding, with an air of 'we are discussing important concepts here' about it. I've read the book (and 'Legion') a few times, convinced I was missing something, but they still proved to be not my cup of tea. Blatty had a 70 page story in the '999' anthology and that was the only story in it that I didn't finish. Oh well.

One good thing about the film version of 'The Exorcist' was the use of sound, which was quite inventive and creepy at times. I have actually seen 'Exorcist 3' (the one based on 'Legion') as well but I was incredibly pissed at the time and can't remember much about it!

[Craig Herbertson]

Scared the shit of me the first time I saw it. Some people left the cinema in fear and or disgust. It was some movie for its time.